Different Ending
by LovMiMisty
Summary: Sam picks the Phantom.


Beep, beep, beep. I woke up from my sleep thinking about school. My clock read 6.00am and stubbornly put my head back in my pillow starting to drift back to sleep until a loud banging at my bedroom door. "Sam! Get up and do your chores." It suddenly came to me that it was the first week of no school. I jumped out of bed eagerly and started heading down stairs for break-fast. "Grams is at Trudy's for the day" yelled dad from out in the yard. I ran outside after grabbing an apple, to the chook house and collected the eggs, getting pecked by an overly protective mother hen.

After I finished my other chores I went and saw Ace in his paddock. I let out a high whistle and Ace came trotting up to see me. "Hey boy. How are you today?" Ace let out a little whicker to me like he understood what I was saying. "Want to go for a ride out in the plains." He put his forehead against my chest and started using me as a scratching post. "Stop it you silly boy. That hurts." I gently pushed his head away. I ran and grabbed my bridle from the stables and fetched Ace from the paddock deciding to go bareback. Even though Ace is only a 14hh it's still a fair height for me to jump so I had to take a run up from far away.

Once I was on I started to head towards the plains over the bridge. About half way in the plains Ace started to play up, jogging on the spot. I knew that the only reason he would be doing that was if a wild herd was around. I hoped it was the phantoms herd. I loved watching the phantom and his herd together, the foals frolicking around on spring legs, leaping over brush and little streams in the secret meadow. I remember a little black colt, the exact same as blacky when he was a foal, jump a stream. When he got to the middle of the leap, the whole world stopped and he was suspended in the air. He then came gracefully back down on the other side and seemed to look at the other foals and say "Beat that".

I was bought out of my day dream when Ace suddenly did a little buck of excitement. I looked out across the plain and there was the phantom. Without his herd. He stood there as if waiting for me, I let Ace go into a lope and went towards phantom wondering were his herd was. I turned left as if on instinct I turned left and saw a big chestnut stallion taking off with the phantoms herd. "Blacky. He's stealing your herd." I yelled out preparing to gallop after the chestnut stallion but a voice beside me said "He's letting them go. He gave them to the other stallion." Jakes quiet voice startled me and I gave a little squeak. "Why would he do that" I said as I turned towards him. "You know him better than me" was all he replied.

I turned back to look at phantom. He was walking towards me and Jake, keeping himself more on my side than Jakes. He stopped around 10 feet away and pawed at the ground. I got of Ace and ground tied him. Jake following my intentions, jumped off witch and grabbed my arm gently. "What are you doing." Jake asked me but I already know he knew what was on my mind. "He isn't safe". "Blacky would never hurt me" was all I said in reply I started to walk towards blacky and he started pawing the ground harder. He suddenly got down onto the ground as if making it easier to get on his back. I took the gesture as a welcome to get on.

I walked up to him crouched down as not to look like a predator. He didn't even blink when I walked up to him. "Sam, what are you doing" Jake said as I got to phantom. "Zanzibar" I quietly whispered to him so Jake wouldn't hear "I missed you". I turned back to look at an anxious Jake. "Get back here brat". "I told you not to call me brat and Phantom would never hurt me" I yelled back making Phantom snort angrily. "He did once" Jake whispered. I pretended not to hear and patted Phantoms glistening white neck. I slid my hands down his back and scratched his whither making him grunt happily. I quickly jumped onto his back before Jake could see what I was doing and held on.

Phantom stood up from his bow and did a little buck, getting used to my weight. He turned his head as if to look and see if I was ready then took off. I looked back to see Jake vaulting onto Witch and come after us while ace started galloping back home. I looked back and suddenly thought of why Phantom would leave his herd. He had chosen me. I was his lead and only mare. I sat deep onto phantoms back like I used to to slow him down and he stopped. I waited for Jake to catch up then told him "Tell Gram, Dad and Brianna I'll miss them". "What do you mean brat. You're coming home with me."."No, I'm not. Phantom chose me and I chose him. He gave up his family for me, I'm giving up mine for him."


End file.
